Vein Stripping is a thing of the past! Watch La Jolla Vein Care’s Dr. Bunke on San Diego Living explain alternative non-surgical vein treatments to the outdated vein stripping surgery!  The episode was aired yesterday, February 10th, on CW’s Channel 6. As Dr. Bunke explains, a common misperception about varicose vein treatment is that vein stripping surgery is still used as the main method used to treat varicose veins. The truth is, vein stripping surgery is nearly obsolete, with endovenous ablation being considered as the standard of care for treatment of the great saphenous and small saphenous veins. There are other treatment methods such as ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy for the branching, bulging veins at the surface of the skin.

This news segment provides animations about how these vein treatments work.

For the endovenous ablation, specifically radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins, also known as the Venefit procedure (previously called VNUS Closure) is described. Dr. Bunke explains that a thin, flexible tubing called a catheter is placed inside the diseased vein. Radiofrequency energy is delivered to heat the vein and seal it shut. The body will gradually dissolve the treated vein. The blood is directed through other healthy veins.

A foam sclerotherapy animation is also shown. Foam sclerotherapy involves injecting a foamed medicine into the vein that will cause it to collapse, shrink and eventually dissolve.

These varicose vein procedures are minimally invasive and can be performed in the office without general anesthesia and almost immediate return to normal activities.